About a decade ago, I played a multiplayer flash game, Stafighter: Disputed Galaxy; a free multiplayer 2D Space combat game built in flash. Sadly, it was overrun by cheaters and hackers; and after someone dumped the server containing player account info, it was shut down. Ever since then, I've been trying dozens of space games to get the same combat experience: Void, Endless Sky, Star Valor, Reassembly, Transcendence, Starcom Nexus, Astrox, Rebel Galaxy, and so on. While they had their own upsides and downsides none of them quite scratched that itch and I occasionally found myself playing the original Disputed Galaxy on Kongregate, despite being unable to save any progress.
Ben Olding, the original creator had then moved onto Starfighter Infinity, creating a kickstarter and everything. After going into development hell for a few years, the original benoldinggames forum had shut down, and the SF:I website hadn't been updated for years. At that point I pretty much wrote the whole thing off as a loss.
Now imagine my surprise when about 4 days ago I saw a recommended video on youtube that Starfighter Infinity had gone early access in January of this year.
If you remember the original DG, then Infinity is that taken to 12. Nearly 4 times the number of ship choices, a
staggering number of equipment options, a much larger galaxy with differing effects, and full map multiplayer as opposed to the original half dozen MP sectors. The game is better than I'd ever hoped.
Except maybe in player count. It's arrival on Steam seems to have flown under the radar, so to speak.
Now, the game is definitely built on the more casual end. Ben's been working hard adding and improving the game; but you're not going to find an X or EVE esque experience here. And $20 might be a bit too much for pandemic-lightened wallets.
To that end, I bought a couple of copies during a sale, and am willing to hand out a couple if people are interested.
Also maybe consider joining the alien side as it seems they're a bit understaffed.But here's some pictures: